2 ¶ I say, “Keep° the Icommand° of the king° because°° of the aoath°IIbefore God°.
3 Do not be in a hurry°Iato leave°° him. Do not join° in an evil° matter°, for he will do° whatever°° he pleases°.”
4 Since° the word° of the king° is authoritative°, awho° will say° to him, “What° are you doing°?”

5 ¶ He who akeeps° a [royal] command°bexperiences° no°Itrouble°°, for a wise° heart° knows° the proper time° and procedure°.
6 For athere° is a proper time° and procedure° for every° delight°, though° a man’s° trouble° is heavy° upon him.
7 If° no° one°aknows° what° will happen°, who° can tell° him when°° it will happen°?
8aNo° man° has° authority° to restrain° the wind° with the wind°, or authority° over the day° of death°; and there° is no° discharge° in the time° of war°, and bevil° will not deliver°Ithose who° practice° it.
9 All° this° I have seen° and applied° my Imind° to every° deed° that has been done° under° the sun° wherein° a man° has exercised°aauthority° over [another] man° to his hurt°.

10 ¶ So° then, I have seen° the wicked° buried°, those who used to go° in and out from the holy° place°, and they are a[soon] forgotten° in the city° where° they did° thus°. This° too° is futility°.
11 Because° the asentence° against an evil° deed° is not executed° quickly°, therefore°°bthe hearts° of the sons° of men° among them are given° fully° to do° evil°.
12 Although° a sinner° does° evil° a hundred° [times] and may alengthen° his [life], still°° I know° that it will be bwell° for those who fear° God°, who° fear°IHim openly°°.
13 But it will anot be well° for the evil° man° and he will not lengthen° his days° like a bshadow°, because° he does not fear° God°.

14 ¶ There° is futility° which° is done° on the earth°, that is, there° are arighteous° men° to whom° it Ihappens° according to the deeds° of the wicked°. On the other hand, there° are bevil° men° to whom° it Ihappens° according to the deeds° of the righteous°. I say° that this° too° is futility°.
15 So I commended° pleasure°, for there° is nothing° good° for aa man° under° the sun° except°° to eat° and to drink° and to be merry°, and this° will stand° by him in his Itoils° [throughout] the days° of his life° which° God° has given° him under° the sun°.

16 ¶ When° I agave° my heart° to know° wisdom° and to see° the task° which° has been done° on the earth° (even° though° one° should Ibnever° sleep°°° day° or night°),
17 and I saw° every° work° of God°, [I concluded] that aman° cannot°° discover° the work° which° has been done° under° the sun°. Even though°° man° should seek° laboriously°, he will not discover°; and bthough° the wise° man° should say°, “I know°,” he cannot°° discover°.

Kings are greatly to be respected.

1 ¶ Who² [is] as the wiseº [man]? and who² knowethºª the interpretationº of a thing?º a man'sº wisdomº maketh his faceº to shine,ºª and the boldnessº of his faceº shall be changed.ºª2 I² [counsel thee] to keepºª the king'sº commandment,º and [that] in regardº² of the oathº of God.º3 Be not² hastyºª to go² out¹ª of his sight:º² standºª not² in an evilº thing;º for² he doethºª whatsoever²² pleasethºª him. 4 Where² the wordº of a kingº [is, there is] power:º and who² may sayºª unto him, What² doestºª thou? 5 Whoso keepethºª the commandmentº shall feelºª no² evilº thing:º and a wise man'sº heartº discernethºª both timeº and judgment.º

The divine providence is to be observed.

6 ¶ Because² to every² purposeº there isº timeº and judgment,º therefore² the miseryº of manº [is] greatº upon² him. 7 For² he knowethºª not² that² which shall be:²² for² who² can tellºª him when² it shall be?²8 [There is] no² manº that hath powerº over the spiritº to retainºª² the spirit;º neither² [hath he] powerº in the dayº of death:º and [there is] no² dischargeº in [that] war;º neither² shall wickednessº deliverºª² those that are givenº to it. 9 All² this² have I seen,ºª and appliedºª² my heartº unto every² workº that² is doneºª under² the sun:º [there is] a timeº wherein² one manº ruleth¹ª over² another² to his own hurt.º10 And soº I sawºª the wickedº buried,ºª who had comeºª and goneºª from the placeº² of the holy,º and they were forgottenºª in the cityº where² they had so² done:ºª this² [is] also² vanity.º11 Because² sentence¹ against² an evilº workº is not² executedºª speedily,º therefore²² the heartº of the sonsº of menº is fully setºª in them to doºª evil.º

It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity.

12 ¶ Though² a sinnerºª doºª evilº an hundred times,º and his [days] be prolonged,ºª yet² surely² I² knowºª that² it shall be² wellº with them that fearº God,º which² fearºª beforeº² him: 13 But it shall not² be² wellº with the wicked,º neither² shall he prolongºª [his] days,º [which are] as a shadow;º because² he feareth¹² not² beforeº² God.º14 There isº a vanityº which² is doneºª upon² the earth;º that² there be² justº [men], unto whom²² it happenethºª according to the workº of the wicked;º again, there beº wickedº [men], to² whom it happenethºª² according to the workº of the righteous:º I saidºª that this alsoº²² [is] vanity.º15 Then I² commendedºª² mirth,º because² a manº hath no² better² thing¹ under² the sun,º than²² to eat,ºª and to drink,ºª and to be merry:ºª for that² shall abideºª with him of his labourº the daysº of his life,º which² Godº givethºª him under² the sun.º